Construction of flexible hose



June 1953 c. M. HAMBLIN 2,640,500

CONSTRUCTION OF FLEXIBLE HOSE Filed Dec. 21, 1948 Clyde M. HcmblinPatented June 2 1953 um TED s m tes earner series 2,640,500QGNST'RUCTIGN OF FLEXIBLE HOSE Clyde M. Hamhlin, Washington, D. 0.

Application December 21,'1948,Serial No. 66;5'07

(Cl. \138-'53i) (Granted under-"Title 35, S. Code 1952)., see. 266) 6:Glaims.

The .present invention covers improvements in the means of constructionof cloth and treated fabric hose used mostly as portable ventilatinghose. It is of particular use on naval vessels where portable hose,resistant to transverse c01- lapse, is used ,for temporary ventilationin various spaces and Where space .for stowage is restricted,

The purpose of this invention is toprovide a type of construction ofcloth ventilating hose which will reduce the number of operationsnecessary in the manufacture o'i hose, will reduce costs, and speed upproduction and will also pro vide .a type of .hose which will readilycollapse longitudinally for stowage, but will remain 'in'an extendedposition and tend to prevent longitudinal .collapse of the hose whensuch is desired. Cloth hose may hemade up by methods described herein,either with or without wire stiffening as will be further explainedherein.

A number of means of specific constructionare set out inthespeciiication which provides variety in the type of constructionused, all oi" which are useful in particular instances where hose ofthis character is used.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a continuous length of hose;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal partial section 01 a type of construction wherea helically wound strip of cloth is used;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal partial section of .asec nd type of joinedconstruction;

Fig. 4 is aflongitudinal partialsec'tion of a third type of joinedconstruction;

Fig. .5 is a, longitudinal partial section showing joined construction.as well as a means of mounting a helical wire used in the constructionof a hose;

Fig. 6 illustrates another partial longitudinal section showing a typeof joined construction of two strips ofclo'th used in the constructionof the hose;

Fig. 7 represents an additional longitudinal partial section of anothertype of joint used;

Fig. 8 is a partial vertical cross section of hose taken on line 8--8.ofFig. 1;

.Fig. 9 .is an end View of a hose in a collapsed condition.

The method of construction of the present invention on ventilating .hoseconsists in the use of one or more strips of cloth of relatively narrowwidth with the edges sewed together so that the seam :runslongitudinally and circumferentially forming a helical seam as clearlyshown in 2 Fig. l of the drawings. The pitch of the seam will depend onthe width-of strip selected for the cloth and the diameter of the hose.The-seams maybe sewed with any suitable :type of stitching,

or any other suitable means like riveting, etc,

-Where wire stiffening is used with this type of construction to preventtransverse collapse of the hose, the wire i3 is sewed between the :lapof the turns of the cloth-as shown in Fig.2, with double stitching l4,l4.

However, this particular case :is directed to an alternate type of lapseamconstruction as shown in Fig. 3, in which the Wire stiffening lE-issecured by turning edge [6 of strip back over wire 45. With some typesof cloth orrubloerized-fabric, the single strip type ofconstructionshownin Figs. 1., 2 and 3 may cause as'light difference indiameter at the opposite ends, if the hose is along, unless specialprecautions are "taken in manufacture. This may generally beaccomplishe'dby a tension device (not shown) on the sewing machine usedin the fabrication of the hose.

The tendency for a difference in diameter at opposite ends of the hosemay "be avoided by the use of a seam with edges "of strip is turned upand stitched together at "is as shown in Fig. 4. Where wire stiffeningis "used in this type or construction the wire '20 is secured by bindingstrip 2|. This'binding strip may be used whether or not the wirestiffening is provided.

Another type of construction '6) which may be used to avoid a differencein diameter of the hose is to provide two strips "of material 22, '23.,withpoththefirmware" and"after edges of one strip 23 alwayslap-ping'over the "edges of the other strip 22, "as shown in t, wherethe edges 23a and "23'b'of 'strip23 lap over the edges of strip 22. Thewire 'stifiening of this type of construction '(Fig. "6) will consist ortwo continuous wires 24 and .25.

Fig. 7 covers another form of the seam somewhat similar to that shown inFig. 4, in which the hose material 26 is provided with two upstandingends 21,21, which 'm'aybe'usedstitchea at '2 8, '29, over which ismounted "a cover strip 36. The strip '30 may be secured by an additionalstitching at 28 if desired or secured in any other suitable manner. Inthis type the wire 30a may be used or omitted as found more desirable.

Another type of construction is shown in Fig, 5, in which the stiffeningwire 3| is woven into the cloth in the direction of the length of thestrip 32. The wire may be located on the center line of the strip 32 asshown in Fig. or in any other position where it will not interfere withstitching the seams. Any suitable type of seam 33, 33, may be used forsecuring the edges of the cloth strip 32, together.

Where stiffening is used as shown in the drawing to prevent transversecollapse of the hose, it should be made of spring wire or strip metalwhich should preferably be wound with the turns separated a greaterdistance than they will be in the finished hose, so that the stiffeningwire will tend to hold the hose in the extended or open position, asshown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The stiffening wire may also be formedwith the turns 13, I311, positioned closely together so that the wirewill tend to hold the hose in longitudinally collapsed position in caseswhere this condition is found more desirable. The pitch of the turns ofwire relative to the diameter of the hose fixes the minimum openingthrough the hose in the collapsed position as illustrated in Fig. 9 ofthe drawings, as is at once understood.

It is not the intention to limit the invention to the use of circularwire stiffening as shown in the drawings as any shape of spring whichcan be wound in helical form may be used.

The construction of wire stiffened hose in accordance with the variousfigures of the drawing facilitates the collapse of the hose in alongitudinal direction as the cloth tends to fold in the form of an irisdiaphragm 56 as in Fig. 9 and permits stowing the hose in less spacethan is occupied by other types of wire or ring stiffened hose. This is,of course, a big advantage on shipboard or other places where stowagespace for the hose is at a premium.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 of the drawings that where the ends 34, 42of two sections of hose come together, same may be secured together bythe arrangement shown in said figure. On this figure the end 34 of onesection of hose is mounted over the end of male half connector ring 31and secured by ring 4| mounted on the hose and riveted to ring 31 whichextends to 38 within female half connector ring 43. The end 42 ofanother section of hose is mounted over the end of the female halfconnector ring 43 and secured by ring 44 riveted to ring 43. It will benoted that wires l3 and 41 of the two sections of hose have turned ends36 and 48 which are clamped by rings 4! and 44 against rings 31 and 43,respectively, as shown for end 36 in Fig. 8.

It will be noted that the ring 43 can be fastened by means of a springattachment at 49 and be detachably mounted on the ring 31. In this way,the ends of two sections of hose may be detachably secured to eachother. Connector rings and clamping rings are preferably made of metalbut other suitable material such as plastic may be used.

From which above description it is seen that I have provided atransversely non-collapsible hose in longitudinally normally extendedand normally collapsed types in a number of very convenient formsadapted to be quickly mounted in various positions for use and alsoadapted to 7 be stowed away in a small floor or ship space when desired.

While the subject matter of this case is disclosed in issued Patent No.2,452,047, the claims hereof include claims which are subgeneric toforms such as that of Fig. 3, while the issued patent includes genericclaims and claims directed to others of the species disclosed and notcovered by claims herein.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by and forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. A hose comprising a strip of flexible fabric material wound in ahelix forming a cylindrical tube, saidstrip comprising a plurality ofturns, a forward edge and an after edge on each turn of said material,said edges positioned in overlapping relation with one another andhaving lapped portions substantially paralleling the surface of saidtube, a coil of wire, and means securing said coil of wire to saidlapped portions so as to form an endless seam which surrounds said wireand travels the length of said tube.

2. A hose comprising a strip of flexible fabric material wound in ahelix forming a cylindrical tube, said strip comprising a plurality ofturns, a forward edge and an after edge on each turn of said material,said edges meeting at a helical junction along said tube, a coil of wirealong said junction, 2. first one of said edges lying beneath said wireat said junction, the other of said edges positioned over andsubstantially encompassing the portion of the wire above the said firstedge, and means for securing said edges together so as to form anendless seam which completely covers said wire and travels the length ofsaid tube.

3. A hose comprising flexible fabric material forming a cylindrical tubecomprising a plurality of helical turns, a forward edge and an afteredge on each turn of said material, said edges meeting at a helicaljunction along said tube, a coil of wire along said junction, a firstone of said edges lying beneath said wire at said junction, a second oneof said edges overlapping said first one of said edges and said wire,and means positioned on each side of said wire for securing said edgestogether so as to form a helical envelope enclosing said wire andextending the length of said tube.

4. A hose comprising a strip of flexible fabric material wound in ahelix forming a cylindrical tube, said strip comprising a plurality ofturns, a forward edge and an after edge on each turn of said material,said edges positioned to lie in overlapping engagement with one anotherand having lapping portions substantially paralleling the surface ofsaid tube, a coil of wire positioned between said overlapping edges, andmeans securing said wire and said edges in the aforesaid position.

5. A hose comprising a strip of flexible fabric material wound in ahelix forming a cylindrical tube, said strip comprising a plurality ofturns, a forward edge and an after edge on each turn of said material,said edges meeting at a helical junction along said tube, a coil of wireof preformed pitch different from that of said helix,

said coil of wire being disposed along said junction, a first one ofsaid edges lying beneath said wire, a second of said edges overlappingsaid first one of said edges and turned back on itself to form a fold,said coil-of wire positioned within said fold and means for securingsaid wire Within said fold While simultaneously securing said edges toone another thereby forming an endless seam extending along the lengthof said tube.

6. A hose comprising a strip of flexible material wound in a helixforming a cylindrical tube, said strip comprising a plurality of turns,a forward edge and an after edge on each turn of said material, a firstof said edges underlying the second of said edges, said second edgebeing turned back on itself to form a fold, a coil of wire, and meansfor securing said coil of wire within References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,337,373 ChernackDec. 21, 1943 2,337,374 Chernack Dec. 21, 1943 2,452,047 I-Iamblin Oct.26, 1948

